Xylophone



Mmh 9 192e. 1,576,263

W. BARTHOLOMAE XYLOPHONE Filed Oct. l0, 1923 2 Sheets-Shee?l 1 Arm/mers March 9 1926.

w. BARTHOLOMAE XYLOPHONE Filed oct. 1o. 192:5

2 Sheets-Shea?I 2 #INIT/#158.955l 26 I A TTRNEYS Patented Mar. 9, 1926.

UNITED As'rxrEs PATENTl OFFICE.

WILLIAM IBARTHOLOMAE, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO BAR ZIM TOY MFG. CO., IN C., OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION 0F YORK.

XYLOPHONE Application area october 1o, 1923. seran No. 667,723.

To all whom it may' concern.'

Be it known that I, WILLIAM BARTHoLo-- MAE, a citizen of the United States, and a 'resident of the city of New York, borough of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Xylophone of which the follow-- ing is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relatesvto xylophones and has for anY object to provide an improved construction wherein metal sides are provided for thesupporting strings which carry the vibratile members.

Another object of the invention is to provide a Xylophone having vibratile members and metallic sides formed with a clamping structure for clamping and supporting a lsOtring adapted to carry the vibratile memers.

A still further object is to provide a Xylophone wherein metal sides are provided having a bent structure adjacent its upper edge presenting a groove which may be continuous or interrupted and which may co-act with the lends of the instrument for support'- inga string or may clamp the ligament' for entirely supporting the same.

In the accompanying drawings--` Figure 1 is a perspective view of a Xylo-` phone disclosing an embodiment of the invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional view through Figure 1, on line 2-2. g

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view through Figure 2, on line 3 3.

Figure 4 is a blank of one of the sides of the instrument shown in Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 2 but showing a slightly modified construction.

Figure 6 is a transverse sectional view through Figure 5., on line 6-6.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary view of a mod/- fied forni of one of the sides shown in Figure 1.

Figure 8 is a transverse sectional view through Figure 7 on line 88.

Figure 9 is a view similar to Figure 7 but showing a further modified form of the invention.

Figure 10 is a sectional view throughiFig ure 9, on line 10-10.

Referring to the acompanylng drawings by numeral, 1 and 2 indicate end members which are shown as Wood though if desired, metal might be used. Connected with the end members 1 and 2 by small nails or other suitable means are side plates 3 and 4 which are of identical construction so that the description of one will apply to both. From Figure 1 it will be noted that the` end 1 is provided with notches or slots 5 while end 2 is provided with notches or slots 6 for accommodating the string 7, which string is connected at one end to the end 2, is threaded through a groove hereinafter described formed in plate 4, through one of the slots 5, around the pin 8, through the other slot 5 and back through slot 6 to the inner tube where it is fastened by a pin similar to pin 8. This string is provided with two sections which in effect act as two strings, and

is provided in order that the various sounding members 9 may be supported out of contact with the side plates 3 and 4.

In Figure 3the vibratile members are shown as tubes and, consequently, it is desirable to loop the respective sections of the string around these tubes whereas in the structure shown in Figure 5 hooks or other suspending means are provided on the vibratilemembers which are hooked or looped over the string. It is very desirable to properly suspend the vibratile members 9 substantially centrally of the various apertures 10 in the plates 3 and 4 so that they may vibrate when struck by a hammer or other instrument. Each of the side plates 3 and 4 is formed with a body 11 turned up at the lower edge for presenting a reinforcing bead 12 and the top is bent at 13 for forming a horizontal section 14, which horizontal section is preferably embossed with suitable legends 15. These legends are shown as the usual letters indicating a scale and are arranged immediately above the various vibratile members 9. The horizontal sectionv 14 is bent at 16 and is looped back at 17 so as to provide a groove 18. The inner sec-tion or iange 19 is turned over at 2O for presenting a reinforcing bead to stiften the respective parts,

In the blank 11 shown in Figure 4, it will be noticed that holes 10 are provided and in .addition a number of holes or apertures 21. The blank is bent along the major axis of the apertures 21 so as to present arcshaped openings 22 in partof the blank y lforming the groove 18 whereby the string may extend downwardly and around the respective vibratile members 9. The arcshaped openings l22 are preferably' of a proper shape to align with the apertures 10,.though this is not absolutely necessary. It will be noted that by this construction and arrangement, a single ieced side is provided which presents legen s 15 and in addition a groove 18 for the reception and support of the string 7. By reason of the apertures 21, the ange 19 and associated parts present what may be termed supporting secsomewhat so as to firmly pinch the string as illustrated more particularly in Figure 6. The side plate 11" in-this form of the invention is identical with the structure. 11 shown particularly in Figures 2 and 3 eX-.

` cept that the flange or portion 19 and associated parts are pressed ltogether in order that the portions 23' may grip the string and hold the same. By this construction and arrangement, the slots 5 and 6 may be eliminated and also the various pins 8. When this form of the invention is used, it is necessary to provide hooks or loop members 24; on the vibratile members 9 whereby they may be hooked'over the string 7. Ordinarily, the looped or hooked members 24 are open when they'are hooked over the strings 7 and after having been placed in position they are bent down to substantially the position shown in Figure 6.

In Figures 7 and 8 Awill be seen a further modified form of the invention' wherein the side plate 25 is similar to the side plate 11 shown in Figure 6 except'that the flange 19 and the bead 20 are removed vso that only the hooked portion 23 (is left which is pinched against the string 7 for holding the same against accidental removal. By providing this construction and arrangement, the extra metal forming the iange 19 and bead 20 is dispensed with and also the appearance of the finished article is improved by the elimination ofthese parts. In Figures 9 and 10 will be seen a further modified form of the invention in which the groove is indented from the side of the plate 26. It will be noted that by reason of the openings. 10 which merge into notches 2;', the groove is interrupt/ed se that thereA arealoop'ed gripping s upports' 27 presented, S81

groove found in the other forms of the invention. In this specification it will be understood that the term groove covers not only the structure shown inr Figure 1 but also the structure shown in the remaining figures, including Figures 9 and 10, as they all 'function in a similar manner, namely, to support the string in a desired position for receiving-either the tubular' vibratile mem-- bers 9 or the vibratile members 9 with the hooks or loops thereon. By providing the groove extending from the side as shown in Figures 9 and 10, a proper support for thestrmg 1s resented and less metal is needed to make t e side plate 26 'including the flat top section 14 which is, of course, rovided with embossed characters 15 as in t e other forms of the invention.

What I claim is 1. In a Xylophone, a, pair of side members havin c apertures therein, vibratile members exten ng through said apertures, each of supportsiactlng in effect as a groove,. for instance 1n 'a simllar manner to the' said side members beingformed with a section extendin from the edgegof said side member at right angles to the remaining part'of the side member, said section being formed with a portionpresenting a groove, said grooved portion havingnotches therein so as tojnterrupt said groove, and a strin extending through each of said grooves an through said notches for engaging andsupporting, said vibratile members.

2. In a Xylophone, a; side plate formed from a single sheet of material and provided with a plurality of apertures for receiving vibratile members, and a portion presenting a string receiving groove, said portion being provided withnotches for interrupting said v groove adjacent said apertures.

3. In a Xylophone, a side plate formed of sheet metal bent at one edge for forming a right angle section, and a string gripplng section, said gripping section being'formed with a plurality of cut-outs and being bentvto grip a string.

4. In a Xylophone, a side plate formed with a bent over portion at one edge, said bent over portion being formed with la plurality of notches and clamped together for pinching a string extending across said notches.

5. In a Xylophone, a-side plate of sheet material formed with a bent portion at one edge presenting a right angle section, and a second portion extending -atv right angles from the right angle section, said second portion being formed with a spaced looped member adapted to engage and support a stringin l 6. a Xylophone, a, side plate of sheet metal bent at its one ed e to present a secnon' testbed; upon-ina, Said section bein formed at its free edge with a plurality tially at right angles thereto presenting a org looped members pinched together for string receiving groove, and a section at the gripping a string extending therethrough. edge of said late formed with legends in- 10 7. In a musical instrument, a metallic side dicating the c aracter of the vibratile mem- 5 plate formed with a plurality of openings bers, said legends being arranged in line for receiving vibratile members, means exwith said openings.

tending from one face of the plate substan- WILLIAM BARTHOLOMAE. 

